Pattern mechanism for knitting-machines.



A. LANDRY.

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, I915.

m m m B P F M .w M P A. LANDRY. PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHlNES. APPLICATION FILED IULY19; 1915. L16 Patented. Jan. 25,1916.

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A. LANDRY.

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1915.

1 169 655 Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

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WHITE TOP BLAO f em 6: BLACK l STIP/PEJ BLA CA SPL/CE as a ALDEI LANDRY, CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 HEMPHILL MANU- FACTURING 00., OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND,

ISLAND.

Application filed July 19, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALmn LANDRY, citizen of the United States, residing at Central Falls, Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pattern Mechanism for Knitting-Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to striping mechanism for knitting machines, and I have shown the invention in connection with a machine of the Banner type, in which a rotary pattern drum controls the various functions of the machine.

It is one object of my invention to preserve the form and general combination and functioning of parts heretofore used in the Banner machine, and to provide in connection with the well known parts of the Bannor machine a simple form of striping mechanism.

The invention consists in the features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a Banner knitting machine embodying my invention;- Fig. 2 is a side view with parts of the frame-work omitted to show the operating parts; Fig. 3 is a detail view looking from the same direction as in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view by way of example of a stocking produced on my machine; Fig. 5 is a similar view of a portion of a stocking having a tipped heel and toe; Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of the pattern chain.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a group of yarn fingers shown generally at d. as is common in the Bannermachine built under U. S. Patent 933,443, September 7, 1909, these yarn fingers being controlled from levers marked as a group F which, in turn, are controlled from the pattern drum f. This drum, in the present machine, is divided into two sections, e., the main section 7" and the auxiliary section f The main part f is fixed to the shaft 3 as in ordinary practice, while the other section f is mounted to rotate independently of the main section of the drum. This auxiliary drum in the particular construction shown, as an illustration my invention, is in the form of a ring mounted on a reduced portion of the main drum, as shown in Fig. 2, and it is Specification of Letters Patent.

A CORPORATION- OF RHODE PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 25, Jlfilllllfi.

Serial No. 40,718.

I provided with ratchet teeth e for its dividual operation as hereinafter described. The main part of the pattern drum is driven step by step at proper intervals, as determined by the pattern chain B, by a pawl k Fig. 3, engaging ratchet teeth 0 of a disk or wheel fixed on the shaft 8 to which the main part f of the drum is connected. This pawl it is reciprocated by the arm of the segment i common-.in the Banner machine, said segment being oscillated by pitman i driven by the gear 2', the said segment imparting the reciprocating rotary movement to the needle cylinder when clutched thereto during heel and toe work.

The times at which the pawl 72, engages the ratchet teeth 0 for turning the main pattern drum to control various functions of the machine are determined by a controller h pivotally mounted at h to the frame, and having a tail portion k reaching under the pawl it for lifting it out of operation or for .mounted on the segment arm 2' and reciprocated thereby.

The supplemental drum 7"" is driven independently of the main drum 7, on which I prefer to mount it, by a reciprocating pawl h arranged to engage the ratchet teeth 6' on said supplemental drum. The pawl 71 is reciprocated by the turning of a crank disk h" on the sleeve or shaft of a gear 11,, which shaft is mounted on a pin h supported in the fixed frame. The gear h is driven from a gear h fixed to the gear i, the ratio of rotation being such that the crank h makes one revolution to four revolutions of the needle cylinder, so that for each four revolutions of the needle cylinder the supplemental pattern drum will be turned one step. The time at which the auxiliary pawl b will engage and turn the auxiliary drum one step forward is controlled by a supplemental con troller 6 pivoted on the same pin k on which the main controller it turns. This supplemental controller is raised by blocks at one edge of the pattern chain, as shown at 1", that is to say, the blocks 1 for operating the main controller 71, are arranged along one side of the chain B, the left side, Fig. 1, while the blocks 1 for the supplemental controller are arranged along the other or right side of the pattern chain. The supplemental .oontroller lies at the right of the machine,

Fig. 1, and as its function is to control the pawl b lying at the left of the pattern mechanism and in line with the ratchet teeth thus depressing its rear end and allowing the pawl h to fall into line with the teeth 6',

and thus the supplemental pattern drum or supplemental section of the main pattern drum will be operated step by step independently of the main pattern drum, and these step movements will efi'ect the striping.

The movements of the supplemental drum section f may be made in any desired ratio to the revolutions of the needle cylinder. If, for instance, it is moved one step, while in action, for each four revolutions of the needle cylinder, the striping will occur with four courses for each change of yarn, that is, if we are using for striping a red and a black yarn, there will be four courses of red and four courses of black throughout the striped portion of the stocking or other fabric. lVhen the pattern chain moves forward so as to remote the pattern block 1 from under the supplemental controller 6. the said controller falls under tension of the spring 11 and the rod 10 lowers the front end of the controller arm 8, lifting its rear end and thus raising the pawl it so that the auxiliary drum will remain at rest and striping will cease.

The yarn changing for striping is done through certain of the drum levers of the group f which, as in ordinary practice, are connected by wires 7 with levers 7 which lift the yarn fingers (5' out of work or permit them to return into work under the action of their springs d". I have marked these levers of group i 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and I have also marked the yarn fingers corresponding to the said levers 1, 2, 4' and 5, that is, the drum levers 1, 2, 4 and 5 operate respectively the yarn fingers 1, 2, 4 and 5, while the dummy lever 3 is coupled to lever 2 by a pin or screw 13 so that the said lever 2 may be lifted to raise its striping yarn finger out of work at the same time that the OthQI StIlPIIIg yarn finger 1 is lifted to stop striping or for throwing in another yarn.

It will-be observed in this connection that the yarn finger 2overlies the surface of the auxiliary drum to be operated by the projections or controlling pattern blocks 15, which alternate with the blocks 15 which control the other striper lever 1, say, for a red thread, and further it willbe seen that the dummy lower 3 overlies the surface of the main pattern drum f to be controlled by pattern blocks thereon, and levers 4 andv 5 likewise overlie the surface of the main drum f to be controlled by other pattern blocks on the said drum.

Now as the striping goes on, the levers 1 and 2 will be raised alternately and lowered alternately as the auxiliary drum f" is turned step by step to bring the pattern blocks 15' and 15 thereon alternately to and move. them past the levers 1 and 2. In view ofthis alternate action of levers 1 and 2 caused by the blocks 15, 15, which are alternately positioned, it is necessary to provide the dummy lever 3 to lift out the lever 2 at the same time the-lever 1 is up to thus provide for theintroduction of another yarn, and therefore the lever 3 is arranged to be operated by the main pattern drum so that both levers 1 and 2 can be lifted and the yarns controlled thereby will be out of work at the same time while knitting is continued by another yarn.

Suppose, for instance. it is desired to knit a stocking such as shown in Fig. 4 with a white garter top below which there is a solid black portion of the fabric, and below this there are black and red stripes, then a black portion at the ankle. a reinforced black heel, the foot in black and a reinforced black toe.

The yarns could be disposed in various ways. but as an example yarn finger 1' would have red yarn, finger 2 black yarn, 4 would have white yarn, and 5' black splicing yarn. Lex'er 4 being down on the drum f, the white yarn would be in first, all other yarns being out of work. After the white garter top is knit, the main drum is given a one-step movement to allow the lever 3, together with the black yarn lever 2, to drop and bring the black yarn into use, and the same movement of the main drum raises lever 4 and places the white yarn out of work. The red yarn is out of -work because lever 1 remains up on one of the cam blocks 15 of the auxiliary drum f, this drum remaining at rest. The calf of the leg will now be knit in black, and this will continue until the striping is to be done, when the auxiliary drum will be given a one-step movement which will lift the black thread lever 2 and lower the red thread lever 1. and then the auxiliary pattern drum will be moved step by step at the predetermined intervals in respect to the revolution of the machine to take out the red yarn and put in work the black yarn, and vice versa for striping the fabric in red and black. lVhen striping is to cease, the. movement of the auxiliary drum is stopped by the fall of the Controller 6 due to the pattern chain removing the block thereon from under said controller, and the auxiliary drum now stops with the black yarn in work and the knitting goes on down to the heel with the black thread, and this yarn remains in during the knitting of the heel, foot and toe, but when the heel is reached a black splicing yarn is thrown in by lowering the yarn finger 5 through the lever 5 and this yarn is also thrown in for making the toe. Now, if it is desired to tip the heel and toe with red, as'shown in Fig. 5, at 2, z, a section of pattern chain B is used as shown in Fig. 6, in which the lugs 20, 21 and 22 are on the left hand side of the,chain for operating the controller h, while the blocks 20, 22, are on the right hand side of the chain for controlling the auxiliary controller 6. Narrowing will begin with the black yarn at the block 22. and continue the narrowing until it is half completed, when the lug 22 will bring in the red yarn, and this will continue to the middle of the heel at lug 21," and then widening will begin, the red thread being continued in action to the lug 20 when the black yarn will come into action .and the red yarn will be taken out and thus the heel widenings willbe completed in black.

For operating the thread clamp or binder and the cutter within the needle circle in changing the yarns, I employ the same binder and cutter as is common in the Hemphill machine. and in order to operate these parts when the striping is being done, I emplov a lever 23 pivoted to the frame and.

having 'its front end in the range of projections 24; on the ratchet teeth 6' of the supplemental drum, so that at each movement of the supplemental drum this lever is withdrawn from work and to operate the cutter.

This rod 25 operates through a lever 25 1 and link 25", a slotted lever 26 pivoted at27 and having a link connection at 28 with the clamp and cutter mechanism (notshown).

I The'rod 25 is under tension of the spring "29. The rod 25 is connected with a lever 30 at its lower end, which is pivoted to the frame at 31, and is operated'from a cam on the shaft 8 which has pattern blocks 32 thereon. This pattern wheel 35 and its lever 30 operates .the binder or clamp, to gether with the cutter at all yarn changes excepting when striping is being done, at which time the binder and cutter are operated by the lever 28. This lever has a pin at 33 which overlies a Collar 34 on the rod 25, so that the lever 23 will operate the rod 25 to control the binder and cutter, but this connection will not interfere with the operation of the binder and cutter mechanism from the regular lever 30 and cam wheel on shaft 8 before mentioned.

In effect my invention comprises a pattern drum of the Hemphill or Banner type, which is split into two sections, said sections being arranged next to each other on the cam shaft and occupying no more space substantially than does the ordinary pattern drum of the Banner machine and the location of this split pattern drum is the same as that of the well known pattern drum of the said Banner machine, my object being to accomplish the result with as little change in this universally accepted type or design of machine. I therefore split the Banner pattern drum into the two sections f, and f and I control the pawl and ratchet mechanism of the supplemental section of the split Dattern drum from the same pattern chain B through which control of the main pattern drum is'derived and in order to utilize this chain for the control of both sections of the split pattern drum, I utilize the ordinary Banner. controller 71, and I employ a secondv controller 6 and the latter I connect by an arm 10, whichreaches across the main section 7* of the split pattern drum to the controller arm H, which is arranged adjacent the pawl h at the opposite end of the pattern mechanism from that at which the main pattern chain B is located.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination in a knitting machine a series of yarn fingers movable to and from position for feeding yarn to the needles, a split pattern drum, the sections of which are located next to each other and coaxially, levers overlying the periphery of the sections of the split pattern drum, con nections extending upwardly from said levers for controlling the yarn fingers, a timing or pattern chain arranged coaxially, with the splitpattern drum and on the sidethereqf opposite that upon which the supplemental section is located, meansior operating the said pattern chain, a main and a supplemental controller operated from blocks on said pattern chain, a pawl and ratchet mechanism for the main section of the split pattern drum and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for the supplemental section of the split pattern drum, said pawl and ratchet mechanisms being controlled respectively from the main and supplemental controller and saidsupplemental controller having a connection extending therefrompast the main section ofthe split pattern drum to control the pawl of the supplemental section, substantially as described.

yarn 2. In combination a series of yarn fingers, a main pattern drum, a supplemental pattern drum coaxially arranged with the main pattern drum, a pair of levers controlled by the supplemental pattern drum in alternation whereby one yarn is in work while .the other yarn is out, and vice versa, and a third lever connected to one of the levers first mentioned and operated from the main pattern drum whereby said levermay be put out of work at the same time that the other lever of the pair first mentioned is out of work, and a lever also controlled by the main pattern drum and connected to one of the yarn fingers for operating the same, subtantially as described. I

3. In combination a plurality of yarn fingers, a plurality of levers controlling said fingers, a main and a supplemental pattern drum arranged side by side and coaxially, pawl and ratchet means for each pattern drum, a pivotally mounted con troller armfor the pawl of the supplemental pattern drum, a main controller for the pawl of the main pattern drum, a supplemental controller connected with the controller arm for the pawl of the supplemental pattern drum, a pattern chain carrying two series of blocks for operating the main and supplemental controller, a ratchet for moving the pattern chain step by step, a pawl for operating the said ratchet, an oscillating segment for imparting rotary reciprocating movements to the movable member of the knitting head, the said segment carrying the pawl for operating the main pattern drum,

and'carrying the pawl for operating the ratchet of the pattern chain. a gear, a pitman connection between said gear and the oscillating segment. a crank disk connected with the pawl of the supplemental pattern drum, and gearing between the said crank disk and the gear first mentioned for driving the same, substantially as described.

4. In combination a plurality of yarn fingers, a main and supplemental pattern drum arranged side by side and coaxially, pawl and ratchet means for operating each of the drums, connections between the drums and the yarn fingers for controlling the latter, a pattern chain, a main and a supplemental controller operated by said pattern chain for controlling respectively the pawl of the main drum and the pawl of the supplemental drum. connections for operating the thread binder and cutter within the needle circle, said connections being operated from the supplemental drum, and cam means coaxially arranged with themain and supplemental drums for also operating the said connections, substantially as described.

5. In combination a plurality of yarn fingers, a main pattern drum, a supplemental pattern drum arranged coaXially with the main drum, a plurality of leve'rs connected with the yarn fingers, certain of said levers being operated by the main pattern drum, and certain of said levers by the supplemental pattern drum, a-pattern chain, means for operating the main and supplemental pattern drums independently, controlling means for timing the operation of the main and supplemental 'pattern drums. said supplemental pattern drums, when in operation, moving step by step and throwing one yarn finger in and the other out of work, and vice versa, and connections operated from the supplemental pattern drum for controlling the yarn end which is out of work, and means also controlling said connections and timed to operate with the main pattern drum for controlling the yarn end of any varn fingers thrown out of operation by said main drum, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALDEI LANDRY.

Witnesses:

J AMES- L. J ENKs, JOHN LAwsoN. 

